I’ve previously undertaken some hypnotherapy. It created a solution I needed. It was a subconscious reveal that ended up materialising in the conscious world. Which means I didn’t know I needed the solution until it appeared in front of me. Hypnotherapy informed my subconscious self to consciously embrace the solution…

It’s my preparation checklist. On the big day, the most important document I have is the checklist of things I need. Things I can’t forget. I start building my checklist days in advance of the day of the presentation. (If nothing else, it helps me sleep well the night before.) Here’s the Sort of Things That Would Appear on my Checklist …

Using Cliches is Boring Writing. — Cliches may suit the purpose perfectly, but they bore the reader and the listener. I’ve found that original creative writing happens when I rewrite a cliche. I don’t even find them funny. Trying to generate humour out of over-use of cliches, is a stale laugh. Writers are advised to swap…

I make an effort to start every meeting with some humour. People know to expect it from me. I don’t crack a joke or anything like that, just put up a funny meme on the screen, maybe; tell a funny story from the weekend; retell something I saw as odd…

I find it hard to not be distracted by the TV weather presenter. Their gestures in particular. How they hold their hands, how they point, whether they clasp or fold, and how often they present an open palm. Arm movement above the eye line is rare but occurs. Their hands…

When a speaker smiles, it lights up the room. 😊 A speaker can be quite earnest in their delivery, concentrating on the message and remembering what needs to be shared. They are focussing on the next section of their speech. The concentration appears on the face — furrowed and frowning. …

I write my own introduction. In those instances where I’m speaking to an audience, and I’m being introduced to that audience by the compere, I always give them my prepared introduction. The compere welcomes it. Saves them some effort. The information is accurate. I reference a line in the introduction…

Once I say it, you won’t be able to unhear it. Here goes. When most people start speaking to an audience, the first thing they say is ‘um’. Whether the speaker is on stage, or at a workshop and the speaker is making a contribution from the floor, or is…

My old speech writing coach said that the opening paragraphs of a speech should explain why the speaker has the right to be making the speech. The speaker needs to refer to their relevant credentials. Identify their credibility. He referred to it as ‘Earning the right.’ Earning the right to…